Bidding -- The Business Online reports that Ladbrokes, the gaming and betting division of Hilton Group, confirmed this weekend that it will bid for the 2009 U.K. lottery license and is working with Greek partner Intralot on a tender document. "It is at least going to be the two of us," said Intralot Director of Investor Relations Ilias Athanasiou. "We have a cooperation with Ladbrokes on the U.K. lottery. Time is flying by and tenders have to be in by, the third quarter of 2006. It is our intention to put in a bid."
Maybe Not Bidding -- Sir Richard Branson's People's Lottery is threatening to withdraw from the U.K. lottery race over concerns that bidding is biased toward Camelot, the incumbent operator. Branson, who was Camelot's only rival in the last race for the license, is concerned that any new license operator would have to bear the burden of Camelot's loss by being required to employ Camelot's entire staff. The National Lottery Commission (NLC) maintains that it is only interested in promoting a fair competition. "We welcome all views on the statement of main principles, and we are discussing it with a wide range of interested parties," said Mark Harris, CEO of the NLC. "We will consider those views very carefully. Our draft invitation to apply, which we will publish in April 2006, will be designed to attract a strong competition for the next license. If we are convinced changes are necessary, then we will make them."
Not Bidding -- BetbyInternet.com in early December put a $100,000 pre-paid membership up for sale on eBay, but has since then been informed by the popular auction site that it must take the "item" down because it encourages illegal activity. Undaunted by the obstacle, BetbyInternet plans to instead list a pre-paid gambling trip to Las Vegas. "Gambling is legal only in Vegas," VP of Operations Randal Zuniga said, "so my guess is that eBay should not have a problem with this type of auction."
Reclassifying -- Australian MP Nick Xenophon has asked the South Australian government to reclassify casino-themed games as adult-only products because he is concerned that the games are rated as suitable for children as young as eight. One of Xenophon's supporters, Mark Henley from the Inter-Church Gambling Task Force, says gambling games are shown to increase the risks of problem gambling later in life. "Casinos are adult places, and anything associated with casinos should be absolutely limited . . . to people over the age of 18," Henley said.
Debuting -- Gambling Federation Games has released a new scratch-and-win cards game that CEO Flaviano Fogli says will "appeal greatly to the slot playing demographic as the strong themes, easy interaction and reward structure are very similar between the two game types."